Yoshi's Woolly World (originally called Yarn Yoshi[5]) is a 2.5D side-scrolling game for the Wii U by Good-Feel. It is the first Yoshi home console game in 18 years, with Yoshi's Story preceding it. The game has a similar art style to Kirby's Epic Yarn, which was also developed by Good-Feel.

Like with most other Nintendo 3DS and Wii U software titles, this title can be purchased at retail stores or from the Nintendo eShop. The digital version requires 7991.8 MB (approx. 7.8 GB) of memory to be installed. Due to the software's size, standard set Wii U consoles cannot download it without an external storage device, but Deluxe Wii U consoles are able to.

Story

Gameplay

Results screen.

Yoshi's Woolly World is a platform game with textile and fabric environment which plays similarly to Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island and Yoshi's Story, with many features coming from these games. Yoshi is able to eat enemies but, instead of turning them into Yoshi Eggs as in earlier games, he now turns them into yarn balls, which can be thrown just like eggs. They can also be thrown at objects such as platforms and Warp Pipes made of strings and needles in order to make them solid. Smiley Flowers and Winged Clouds return and coins are replaced by beads. Each level contains 20 "Stamp Patches" hidden inside common-looking beads, similarly to the Red Coins found in Yoshi's Island games. Collecting a number of Stamp Patches grants the player a set of Stamps. The hit point system returns from Yoshi's Story. As the Yoshis are attacked by enemies, their Health Meter decreases and can be replenished with Hearts.

The game features two options for standard gameplay. The first is "Classic Mode," which is the standard gameplay similar to previous Yoshi platforming games. The second mode is "Mellow Mode." In this mode, Yoshi is Winged Yoshi and players can fly around freely, providing an easier experience. Players can switch between the two modes at any time via the pause menu.[4]

Cooperative

Two Yoshis playing in co-op.

In co-op mode, the players control two Yoshis, Green Yoshi and Red Yoshi. A Yoshi is able to eat their partner and either swallow them to use them as a yarn ball or spit them out to destroy obstacles. However, when a Yoshi eats their partner, the Yoshi getting eaten loses all of their yarn balls. If one of the Yoshis goes too far off screen it is placed into a flying Yoshi Egg and transported to the other Yoshi. When one of the Yoshis goes down a Warp Pipe the other one is transported with it simultaneously. A Yoshi is able to jump onto another Yoshi and use it as a platform.[7]

amiibo

The three Yarn Yoshi amiibo

Mario, Link, and Donkey Kong patterns

The game makes use of amiibo, and a series of yarn-made Yoshi amiibo was released alongside the game. When a yarn Yoshi amiibo is scanned, it will provide a Double Yoshi mode. Double Yoshi mode functions similarly to the Double Mario power-up from Super Mario 3D World, in that both Yoshis follow the single player's inputs, but with the additional functions of co-op mode.[4] Instead, if the normal version of the Yoshi amiibo is scanned, a normal Yoshi copy will appear. Any Yoshi amiibo scanned will also unlock them for the amiibo tent upon completing the level.

All of the other amiibo (except the Pokémon ones, Chibi-Robo, Lucas, Ryu, Roy, Shovel Knight, the Animal Crossing Series, Waddle-Dee, Wolf Link, Callie, and Marie) are compatible with the game and will unlock a pattern based on the character[8]. The other amiibos unlocks a special amiibo Yoshi, a green Yarn Yoshi wearing an amiibo shirt.

Characters

Main playable characters

Yoshi's Woolly World supports three game saves. Each is denoted with one of the three Yoshi colors available as Yarn Yoshi amiibo; green, pink, and light-blue. When the player starts a new game under one the save files, their default Yoshi will be the same color as the save file. Furthermore, copying a file that does not have World 6-8 (King Bowser's Castle) complete to another save slot will change which color of Yoshi is available. Red Yoshi is always available from the start, regardless of the selected save file. The other Yoshi colors (light-blue and pink if playing on the green game save) are unlocked after rescuing their yarn from Baby Bowser at the end of the game, or by scanning the Yarn Yoshi amiibo during a course and clearing it (albeit the second method adds them to the amiibo tent instead). Six of the colors can only be unlocked by completing King Bowser's Castle.

A castle course where Baby Bowser and Mega Baby Bowser are fought. Leading up to the boss battle, Yoshi must collect four different colors of yarn, each existing as various Shy Guys throughout the course.

Staff

Pre-release and unused content

During levels, the playable character Yoshi started out being made only of some yarn threads in his shape—however, using his tongue, the player could swallow Shy Guys to turn Yoshi into a three-dimensional, amigurumi crochet form.

Names in other languages

Language

Name

Meaning

Japanese

ヨッシー ウールワールドYosshī ūru wārudo

Yoshi Wool World

Trivia

Although Yoshi's Woolly World was released in 2015, the 2014 game Super Smash Bros. for Wii U managed to include a stage based upon this game titled Woolly World. On the official Super Smash Bros. Facebook page, it's stated that the stage was put in late in development.

This is the only game in the Yoshi series to be released in PAL regions before anywhere else.